Congress secretary accuses BJP of creating false narrative about alliance

Congress secretary Dr Vineet Punia on Thursday, 8 February, asserted that there was good coordination and understanding among the members of opposition INDIA bloc, but the BJP was deliberately creating an opposite narrative about the alliance, because the BJP knows that people like the INDIA grouping.

Punia was addressing a press conference to give information about the Congress's 'Jai Jawan' campaign that was launched by party leader Rahul Gandhi last week with an aim to provide "justice" to 1.5 lakh youth in the country who were selected for defence services but "not allowed" to join after the launch of the Agnipath scheme.

When asked about the allegation of discord among the INDIA allies, the Congress functionary said, "This is the BJP's narrative, which it is creating deliberately."

"The constituents of the INDIA bloc have good coordination and understanding among themselves. There is no problem among them. When discussions happen, it is natural that partners will ask for more opportunities and there is nothing wrong in it. It does not mean that the allies are against each other," he said.

"The BJP is getting desperate. Whatever they are doing reflects their insecurities. They themselves know they are not on a sound wicket. They know that people, farmers and youth are not happy with them. They are only playing with this narrative that there is no alternative. But basically they know themselves that INDIA is a real organisation and people are liking it," Punia added.

Talking about the 'Jai Jawan' campaign, he alleged that the Narendra Modi government has shattered the dreams of 1.5 lakh youths who had cleared gruelling mental and physical tests for regular recruitment in defence forces.

"Congress demands that the jobs that were snatched away from 1.5 lakh young men and women when the Agnipath scheme was introduced be returned to them and the previous recruitment system for armed forces be restored," Punia said.